Eddie Hearn fires back at Dana White: ‘I work for my dad? You have a new daddy’

UFC president White, having started a boxing venture, said competing with Hearn was like ‘beating up babies’

Eddie Hearn has fired back at Dana White after the Zuffa Boxing boss’s rant at the Matchroom chairman.

On Sunday, UFC president White talked up his new boxing venture, saying that competing with pre-existing promotions was like “beating up babies”. The American, 56, also dismissed Hearn for working “for his dad”, Barry Hearn, who is the president of Matchroom.

But the younger Hearn is seemingly unfazed and responded to White on Wednesday, while speaking to publications including The Independent. He did so at an event to announce a new deal between Matchroom and the streaming platform DAZN.

“I was just quite surprised by the nature of what he said,” Hearn started, “which was ultimately: ‘Eddie Hearn works for his dad.’ That’s kind of what I’ve had my whole career, when they get really flustered and they’re a bit f***ed, to be honest with you.

“I wasn’t expecting him to be so f***ed and flustered so early. When he says I work for my dad, I suppose so, but his dad for many years has been the Fertitta brothers, and now he’s got a new daddy called Turki Alalshikh. Dana White works for Turki Alalshikh. He’s an employee of the company really.”

The Fertitta brothers, Lorenzo and Frank, owned the UFC from 2001 until 2016, while Alalshikh is the Saudi government official responsible for the Gulf nation’s boxing drive in recent years. Alalshikh and White lead Zuffa Boxing together, and it is 60 per cent owned by the Saudi firm Sela and 40 per cent by TKO – the UFC’s ownership group.

Matchroom chairman Eddie Hearn (Getty)

“So, I was quite surprised,” Hearn continued. “When you say about we lacked ‘vision’, looking at everything we’ve done, I think that’s one of the things you can never accuse us of.

“At the moment, Dana White’s vision is staging mediocre fights in his garage in front of about 112 people, with fighters like Callum Walsh, and [analyst] Max Kellerman telling you: ‘This guy, I think, is the next Roy Jones [Jr].’ Or headlining with Charles Martin on a Sunday night, saying: ‘This is like [Muhammad] Ali vs [Larry] Holmes, this match-up.’”

Hearn, 46, was referring to Zuffa Boxing’s events so far taking place in the Meta Apex, a small indoor facility in Las Vegas.

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“They’re trying to manipulate the boxing fans, who won’t fall for it because they’re not idiots, but maybe the wider world will,” Hearn added.

UFC president and CEO Dana White (Getty)

“I don’t know, but right now, they’re miles off the pace. But they’ll get there, and they’ll be a threat. They’ll spend money – it’s not their money. They’ll sign fighters and they’ll get fighters, but I just don’t buy this new belt stuff and this ‘vision’.

“It’s not really a vision, it’s just control. Here’s your tracksuit, wear that. This is who you’re fighting, and you’re fighting for our belt.”

Hearn was referencing the introduction of a Zuffa cruiserweight title, which will be on the line when Jai Opetaia fights Brandon Glanton in March, with more Zuffa belts expected to follow.